1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an analysis apparatus for analyzing samples in areas such as chemical analysis or biological analysis, and specifically, to an analysis apparatus for conducting the optical analysis by means of detecting lights from spots formed on an analysis chip and holding the samples thereon, and also relates to a condenser used in the analysis apparatus.
2) Description of the Related Art
Currently, in areas such as the chemical analysis or the biological analysis, optical analyses including the fluorescence analysis, surface plasmon resonance analysis, chemiluminescence analysis, bioluminescence analysis, electrochemiluminescence analysis, and radioisotope analysis are conducted for analyzing various samples.
In these analyses, lights generated from spots on an analysis chip, or reflection lights and transmitted lights from the spots irradiated are detected, generally in a state where the samples are held on the spots. A plurality of spots are generally formed on the analysis chip so as to conduct the analysis efficiently. An analysis apparatus is used for the purpose of detecting the lights.
FIG. 16 shows schematically a substantial part of a conventional optical analysis apparatus used for analyzing samples by means of detecting fluorescence. As illustrated in FIG. 16, the analysis apparatus has an analysis chip 101 formed a plurality of spots 102 thereon. Each spot 102 holds a sample such as protein labeled by a fluorescent material. The analysis apparatus further has a light source 103 for irradiating an excitation light upon the analysis chip 101 and a light-sensitive detector 104 for detecting the light from the analysis chip 101.
On conducting the analysis using this conventional analysis apparatus, the excitation light from the light source 103 is irradiated onto the analysis chip 101 first. Then the sample on the spot 102 is excited by the excitation light irradiated and fluorescence is emitted from the spot 102. Then the analysis is conducted with the light-sensitive detector 104 by detecting the fluorescence emitted.
This conventional analysis apparatus detects the light by means of scanning the spots one by one. Thus, the apparatus generally comprises a mechanism for driving to move the light-sensitive detector 104 or the analysis chip 101 so as to move and adjust the position of either the light-sensitive detector 104 or the analysis chip 101. Refer to Japanese Patent Number 3346727 (hereinafter, whenever it is necessary, called simply a patent publication 1) and others.
However, the conventional analysis apparatus such as the patent publication 1 has the following problems. One is that the lack of positioning accuracy while detecting the lights and the instability of holding the samples induced by the moving and the position adjusting of either the light-sensitive detector 104 or the analysis chip 101 deteriorate the light-detecting efficiency and analysis accuracy. Another is the upsizing of the analysis apparatus induced by the necessity for equipping the mechanism of driving the light-sensitive detector 104 and the analysis chip 101.